Home. The word seemed foreign to you. Riverdale had never truly been your home. It was merely the town you were forced to live in. When your parents moved you to Riverdale, you could remember the feeling of all the string you had tied to your true, your home town fray.
With those ties cut, you tried your best to make Riverdale a semblance of a home. It was hard, the first few weeks. Being the new kid in the decaying South Side High School was quite an experience. If it hadn't been for Toni Topaz, you may have not made it through. Even in the midst of metaphorical homelessness, Toni pointed you in the direction of a sense of community. The infamous South Side Serpents.
The Serpents welcomed you with open arms, with the recommendation from Toni, and initiated you as a member. Soon, home wasn't what you had thought it was. It was no longer your old town, it was a unruly group of snakes that protected one another.
It was difficult to imagine that, one day, you might be the one to guide another lost soul to the nest of vipers; but that day soon came.
"That's him," Toni said, popping up at your side as you pulled a book from your locker. You glanced as her and then the direction she was pointed in. Your eyes soon found the boy she was speaking of; lanky form hidden under layers of dark clothing with a shoulder bag across his chest. He was scanning up and down the halls, but, despite his movements, his grey beanies remained perched on his head of raven-colored hair. This boy was Jughead Jones.
"That's FP's son?" You asked, surprised lacing your tone. When people gossiped that FP Jones' son had been transferred to South Side High, you had a mental image of him already in mind. "He looks...soft," you said, glancing at Toni, "not like I imagined."
"Am I detecting disappointment?" Toni asked, pulling you towards the lost boy in the middle of the hallway.
"N-no," you stammered out, "I just...he's not what I was expecting is all." Toni let out a short laugh and continued to lead you over to the Jones boy.
"You look lost," Toni said, catching Jughead's attention. The boy turned to face the two of you, his light blue-green eyes wide with fear.
"I-I," his voice trailed off as he took in your and Toni's attire. His gaze locked with yours and you felt your breath catch in your throat. His features were soft, lacking the sharpness that was present in the faces of other Serpent family members. You both stared at eachother, Jughead already seeing you as wonderfully complex.
You weren't the traditional Southsider. You didn't look as hardened as Toni, or the other Serpents crowding the hallways. If you tried, you could've pulled yourself off as a Northsider, Jughead thought to himself. Maybe you would write on the Blue and Gold with Betty or share a milkshake with Archie at Pop's. You, to him, seemed sweet.
Toni looked between the two of you, feeling a tension starting to grow. She cleared her throat and Jughead looked over at her, the fear melting away.
"Well, I'm Toni Topaz, and this is," she gestured to you and you blushed with a shy smile playing on your lips. You stuck out your hand to Jughead.
"I'm Y/N L/N," you said softly. Jughead dipped his head as a greeting, and also to the hide the nervous smile on his face. When he looked back up, he took your hand and shook it. His palms were slightly rough, his warm skin sent little shocks down your spine.
"I'm Jughead, Jughead Jones," he said, giving you a soft smile. He could feel himself fall into place; like, the moment your hands joined was the moment he figured out what he was missing.
"Oh, I know," you said, feeling a burning blush enflame across your cheeks. "At the Whyte Wyrm, FP would go on about you. Your dad is a good guy, I hope he get's out soon," you said quickly trying to recover any leftover pride you had.
